Just wait until you see what Alesis ...

[dansgold]

... is announcing at NAMM 2005!

Oh, and OS 2.0 .... hee, hee, hee! That's all I'm saying about THAT for now ... gotta protect my sources!

Word has it that Behringer may be releasing some "items of interest" as well ... which isn't exactly news, except for the rumours that they may enter the Synth market.

[FatBoyJim]

http://www.alesis.de/alesis-fusion/
This link is courtesy of swandiver.

As he points out on a thread at Harmony Central, notice how fusion ends in ion.

This NAMM is going to be incredible. It appears that Alesis is doing what Korg is doing and adding more to their workstations. I like the Ion and having that in a workstation would be real nice.

______________________________________________________________________
Check out Lawrence's Fantom-S website: http://fantom.wilkesworld.co.uk/
Check out Artemio's other Fantom-S website: http://artemiolabs.com/

[2TIM316]

I hate people that have such great ability to see things like that. I guess my Scrabble career is over. Anyway, yes, cool, fusION. I get it - an evolution or combining of the ION/Micron engine with other forms of synthesis or rompling. Very cool. Many (including me) believe that the ION/Micron is the best sounding hardware VA out there - sounds closest to real analog. That will be cool. Go Alesis - kick Korg's butt!

[FatBoyJim]

This morning when I first saw swandivers post I thought to myself that I would hate to be a company showing a new workstation when Korg reviles the OASYS but Alesis might be the big winner here because their products are always so competitively priced which is going to be incredible in my opinion if the OASYS is as well.

______________________________________________________________________
Check out Lawrence's Fantom-S website: http://fantom.wilkesworld.co.uk/
Check out Artemio's other Fantom-S website: http://artemiolabs.com/

[2TIM316]

I so far liken the purchase of an OASYS to that of purchasing a Hummer for driving around town. If Alesis releases a "Camry", "Accord", or "Altima", then they may kick Korg's butt. And even if Korg uses the VA technology from the Legacy software, I still think Alesis' ION/Micron VA technology will have the edge - at least for analog purists (like myself), who know what a real Minimoog, Prophet V, or OB-8 sound like.

And you can bet that the Alesis unit will be thousands less than the Korg.

[synthguy]

Man, all this hate of a new wonder synth. And I thought the flame talk was only from kids yelling about game systems :-/

Oh well, I do have great expectations for Alesis. I think they felt the need to prove that they were still the American high tech music company that gave us the Andromeda. From all the pre-NAMM spin, this Fusion sounds like it's going to be quite a beast, though maybe at a Kurzweil price. But like the Oasys, if the goods are hot, the thing will sell well.

I still have the Fantom X7, Korg Karma and Ion on the short list, but I'm hoping that something big shows up to divert my attention next week.

I love the future

[MIDIguru]

http://www.fusionsynth.com/index.html

[stevie]

This looks real interesting - wow - what an exciting start to the year.

Steve

[FatBoyJim]

I like what I see. Looking forward to playing this one.

______________________________________________________________________
Check out Lawrence's Fantom-S website: http://fantom.wilkesworld.co.uk/
Check out Artemio's other Fantom-S website: http://artemiolabs.com/

[Joe Cogan]

Here's a couple of words on the Fusion from SonicState: http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=1863
Check out the site above for a picture
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess the intention is to launch the new Fusion Synth at the show, but with all the details available on the website, that might be a little out of the question. Not one to miss a scoop, the Alesis Fusion Synth looks like a mighty highly specified synth.
With up to 180 voice polyphony, the Fusion Engine Synthesis can provide: Sample Playback, Virtual Analog, FM and Physical Modeling to get you started. You also get a 32 track sequencer with a 40GB of “whatever you want”. Namely 8 tracks of 24-bit audio.
With plenty of internal effects, plus 64MB standard RAM (expandable to 192MB), you’ll be able to store your creations on Compact Flash (I+II), SATA HD and later in the year CD-RW. I couldn’t see a USB connection specified but a close inspection of the rear panel shows that there is one, so presumably you can transfer between your PC and the Fusion with no great difficulty.

The Fusion is well connected too, you get:
Stereo Input L-Mono/R (Standard 1/4 Jack), Stereo Headphone Output (Standard 1/4 Jack),Stereo Main Output L/R (Standard 1/4 Jack), Stereo Aux Output L/R (Standard 1/4 Jack), S/PDIF Output (Coax/Optical), ADAT Output (Optical), MIDI In/Out/Thru, Sustain Pedal, Footswitch, Expression Pedal, USB (to Host), HD Recording Inputs 1-8 (Standard 1/4 Jack), External Drive (SATA) and of course an AC Inlet.

With a 240x128 display and a dedicated controler section, the control of the internal synthesis should be a breeze. Alesis boast the analog engine is their best yet , with comparisons to the A6 Andromeda and the acclaimed ION sure to be made, if the number of filter types is anything to go by (14!) then we shouldn’t be dissapointed.

Available in Fusion 6HD and 8HD models (6 having 6octaves and the 8 er – 8) pricing and availability is TBA. We will of course ensure that we check it out in the flesh and glean all we can from the show itself – more details to follow...

-------------------------------------------
Gear: Does it really matter?

[dansgold]

8 tracks of 24-bit recording
Optical ADAT Output..
40GB Hard Drive.


Need anyone say more?

If this follows the usual Alesis "bang-for-buck" pricing ... wow, I am soooo there.

[stevie]

YEAH - you said it, I'm really pleased I didn't dive in to a DAW last year, this with the Fantom upgrade means sixteen tracks of audio all (hopefully) in sync over midi - days of the hardware DAW are over......AND all those forms of synthesis, what does the physical modelling sound like?

Steve

[zacko]

Now I see why Roland is doing an upgrade.

[synthguy]

Jepers.... hrm... maybe I don't need a Fantom X just yet...

Well, we'll see. I don't particularly need the multitrack recorder, but everything else sounds just delish! Having those three synthesis types are my main attraction.

I love the future

[FatBoyJim]

Hey Artemio, could you convert over to Alesis? Didn’t think so. Could you at least create a website for this thing?


______________________________________________________________________
Check out Lawrence's Fantom-S website: http://fantom.wilkesworld.co.uk/
Check out Artemio's other Fantom-S website: http://artemiolabs.com/